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Tyson FiTness ChallengeWhat exactly is the Tyson Fitness Challenge?The Tyson Fitness Challenge is an eight-session fitness initiative with two goals: helping today’s kids get more physically fit and raising money through Children’s Miracle Network to help kids who are fighting illnesses. The program encourages physical fitness through fun activities that emphasize four fundamentals of fitness: cardiovascular exercise, strength training, flexibility and nutrition.

The Tyson Fitness Challenge programThe Tyson Fitness Challenge is not about teaching gymnastics skills; it uses gymnastics to help kids build healthy foundations for the rest of their lives. The program is aimed at children 6-16 years old. The 2008 edition again includes a developmentally appropriate program for children ages 4-5 and will be available online. The 2008 Tyson Fitness Challenge has been refreshed by adding new content to the existing items favored by gym club owners. Some of the items that are new to the Tyson Fitness Challenge this year include:

• an extra month for clubs to hold the Tyson Fitness Challenge• new, more fun cardiovascular games, and• updated and more challenging exercises for the upper body, core and lower body.

For more information on the Tyson Fitness Challenge, visit www.usa-gymnastics.org/tysonfitnesschallenge

Children’s Miracle networkUSA Gymnastics first began raising funds for Children’s Miracle Network in 2001 as part of National Gymnastics Day. The Tyson Fitness Challenge became the platform to raise funds in 2006. Clubs have the flexibility to hold the Tyson Fitness Challenge at any time between March 1 and Sept. 13, which is National Gymnastics Day in 2008.

Since partnering in 2001, USA Gymnastics and its gym clubs across the country have raised more than $834,000 for Children’s Miracle Network through a variety of activities, and USA Gymnastics’ goal is to increase that total to $1 million by the end of 2008. During the first two years of the Tyson Fitness Challenge, more than 36,000 kids participated and raised $323,000 for Children’s Miracle Network in 2006-07.

To raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network, participants and clubs obtain pledges for achieving a set number of elements in a specified time, whether it is fitness-related skills, cartwheels, flips, etc. The monies raised benefit the Children’s Miracle Network hospital in the participants’ and clubs’ local community.

For more information on raising money for Children’s Miracle Network through the Tyson Fitness Challenge, visit usagym.childrensmiraclenetwork.org.

Mary lou reTTon: Why I support Children’s Miracle Networkhow did you become involved with Children’s Miracle network?Mlr: I became involved with Children’s Miracle Network about 18 years ago, before I was even married or had children of my own. As you can imagine, my life was completely changed forever after winning the Olympics in 1984! I was getting 25-50 phone calls a day just for charity work and appearances. After a

Photo: marvin sharP

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few years of trying to do as many of those as I could, I decided I wanted to do more than just lend my name to an organization’s “letterhead” or send in an auction item. I wanted to make an impact…a difference!

Children have always been a passion of mine. If that whole “Olympic thing” didn’t work out for me, my plans were to go into early childhood development. So helping

raise funds for children’s hospitals was a perfect fit for me. And I’m very proud to say in the 25 years Children’s Miracle Network has been in operation, we have raised $3 billion for children’s hospitals. Literally $1 at a time.

have any of your kids or anyone you know been treated at a Children’s Miracle network hospital?Mlr: My husband, Shannon, and I were blessed to have all four of our daughters born healthy. But a few years ago, my second daughter, McKenna (now 10 years old and a proud Level 8 gymnast) was on a bike ride with her dad and sisters and had a horrible accident. She ruptured her spleen and could have bled to death, but we immediately took her to Texas Children’s Hospital, our Children’s Miracle Network hospital in Houston, where she remained in the intensive care unit for eight days! Although it was scary, I had a peace because I knew she was at the best place possible. I felt so very confident that this hospital was completely prepared to heal my daughter, and they did. The doctors, nurses and entire staff took such tremendous care of her. Children’s hospitals are SPECIAL places with SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE!!

www.usa-gymnastics.org/tysonfitnesschallenge

Photo: john cheng

Tyson FiTness ChallengePrizesHere is what you could

win by raising money for Children’s Miracle Network through the Tyson Fitness Challenge!

Club Prizes*The three clubs that raise the most money for Children’s Miracle network through participation in the Tyson Fitness Challenge receive:

First place• AAI Elite Balance Beam (retail value: $3,000)

• $250 in Tyson coupons to host a Tyson Protein Party at your gym

• One-year USA Gymnastics Club Membership (value: $160)

• Club photo featured on a USA Gymnastics promotional poster in 2009

second place• AAI TAC/10 LZT Vault Board (retail value: $730)

• $150 in Tyson coupons to host a Tyson Protein Party at your gym

• One-year USA Gymnastics Club Membership (value: $160)

Third place• AAI IM 1.5 Folding Mat (retail value: $185)

• $100 in Tyson coupons to host a Tyson Protein Party at your gym

• One-year USA Gymnastics Club Membership (value: $160)

individual Prizes*The top three individuals who raise the most money for Children’s Miracle Network through participation in the Tyson Fitness Challenge all receive:

• Round-trip airfare for winner and a guest to the 2009 American Cup

• Two tickets to the 2009 American Cup

• Two pre-event VIP hospitality passes

• One-night stay in the USA Gymnastics host hotel

In addition to the above prize package, the individual who raises the most money for Children’s Miracle Network will also be featured on a USA Gymnastics promotional poster in 2009.

* Must raise a minimum of $1,000 to qualify for USA Gymnastics prizes.

Photo: marvin sharP

above: Tyson American Cup champions Paul Hamm and Nastia Liukin pose with Tyson Fitness Challenge winners Andrew Wise and Lauren Briskey.